Pacers Preview: 2013-14 schedule and highlights
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Assistant Editor
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS: The Pacers play the reigning NBA champion Miami Heat and LeBron James four times, including twice in the middle of December and twice during the last 11 games of the regular season. The Bulls are Indiana’s other marquee opponent. The rivals face off on national television Nov. 6 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, then again at Chicago on Nov. 16. Playoff seeding could be at stake for the final two meetings, March 21 and March 24.
Home opener: Former Indiana University star Victor Oladipo and the Orlando Magic visit Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Oct. 29.
Road tripping: The Pacers face an early-season schedule with its share of travel. Twelve of the first 21 games are away from Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and the Pacers have a swing of five road games against the Western Conference in the first week of December.
Closing time: In the final five games of the season, the Pacers will face four playoff teams from last season, including two on the road: at Milwaukee (April 9) and at Miami (April 11).
Gar-Nets showdown: The Pacers face Brooklyn (now boosted by Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce) for the first time Nov. 9, giving two vaunted starting lineups a chance to go toe to toe after summer comparisons.
A resolution: For the third time in four seasons, the Pacers will play an afternoon New Year’s Eve game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. This time, the opponent is the Kyrie-Irving-led Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hansbrough returns: Former Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough will make his first stop at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as a visitor on Friday, Nov. 8, when the Raptors – who also carry D.J. Augustin – play the Pacers at 7 p.m.
Playoff rematch: The longtime rival New York Knicks, who feature league scoring champ Carmelo Anthony and former Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler, visit Indiana for the only time Jan. 16.
2013-14 Pacers Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time | TV |
| October | |||
| Tue. 29 | vs. Orlando | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 30 | at New Orleans | 8 p.m. | FSI |
| November | |||
| Sat. 2 | vs. Cleveland | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 5 | at Detroit | 7:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 6 | vs. Chicago | 7 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Fri. 8 | vs. Toronto | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Sat. 9 | at Brooklyn | 7:30 p.m. | FSI, NBA TV |
| Mon. 11 | vs. Memphis | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 15 | vs. Milwaukee | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Sat. 16 | at Chicago | 8 p.m. | WGN, FSI |
| Wed. 20 | at New York | 7 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Fri. 22 | at Boston | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Sat. 23 | vs. Philadelphia | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon. 25 | vs. Minnesota | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 27 | at Charlotte | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 29 | vs. Washington | 8 p.m. | FSI |
| December | |||
| Sun. 1 | at L.A. Clippers | 3:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon. 2 | at Portland | 10 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 4 | at Utah | 9 p.m. | FSI |
| Sat. 7 | at San Antonio | 8:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Sun. 8 | at Oklahoma City | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 10 | vs. Miami | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri 13 | vs. Charlotte | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon. 16 | vs. Detroit | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 18 | at Miami | 7 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Fri. 20 | vs. Houston | 8 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Sun. 22 | vs. Boston | 6 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon. 23 | at Brooklyn | 7:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Sat. 28 | vs. Brooklyn | 7 p.m. | NBA TV, FSI |
| Tue. 31 | vs. Cleveland | 3 p.m. | FSI |
| January | |||
| Wed. 1 | at Toronto | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Sat. 4 | vs. New Orleans | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Sun. 5 | at Cleveland | 6 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 7 | vs. Toronto | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 8 | at Atlanta | 7:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 10 | vs. Washington | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 14 | vs. Sacramento | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Thu. 16 | vs. New York | 7 p.m. | TNT |
| Sat. 18 | vs. L.A. Clippers | 7 p.m. | NBA TV, FSI |
| Mon. 20 | at Golden State | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Wed. 22 | at Phoenix | 9 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 24 | at Sacramento | 10 p.m. | FSI |
| Sat. 25 | At Denver | 9 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 28 | at L.A. Lakers | 10:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Thu. 30 | vs. Phoenix | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| February | |||
| Sat. 1 | vs. Brooklyn | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon. 3 | vs. Orlando | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 4 | at Atlanta | 7:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 7 | vs. Portland | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Sun. 9 | at Orlando | 6 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon. 10 | vs. Denver | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 12 | vs. Dallas | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 18 | vs. Atlanta | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 19 | at Minnesota | 8 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Sat. 22 | at Milwaukee | 8:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 25 | vs. L.A. Lakers | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Thu. 27 | vs. Milwaukee | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| March | |||
| Sat. 1 | at Boston | 8 p.m. | FSI |
| Sun. 2 | vs. Utah | 6 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 4 | vs. Golden State | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 5 | at Charlotte | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 7 | at Houston | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Sun. 9 | at Dallas | 7:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Tue. 11 | vs. Boston | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 14 | at Philadelphia | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Sat. 15 | at Detroit | 7:30 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon. 17 | vs. Philadelphia | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 19 | at New York | 8 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Fri. 21 | vs. Chicago | 7 p.m. | WGN, FSI |
| Sat. 22 | at Memphis | 8 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon. 24 | at Chicago | 8 p.m. | NBA TV, FSI |
| Wed. 26 | vs. Miami | 8 p.m. | ESPN, FSI |
| Fri. 28 | at Washington | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Sun. 30 | at Cleveland | 3 p.m. | FSI |
| Mon.31 | vs. San Antonio | 7 p.m. | NBA TV, FSI |
| April | |||
| Wed. 2 | vs. Detroit | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 4 | at Toronto | 7 p.m. | FSI |
| Sun. 6 | vs. Atlanta | 6 p.m. | FSI |
| Wed. 9 | at Milwaukee | 8 p.m. | FSI |
| Fri. 11 | at Miami | 7:30 p.m. | NBA TV, FSI |
| Sun. 13 | vs. Oklahoma City | 6 p.m. | NBA TV, FSI |
| Wed. 16 | at Orlando | 8 p.m. | FSI |
